Volunteer

Chris, Quintin and Joe volunteering at QAF 2017.

Calling all Volunteers!

Volunteering can be an exciting, fun, educational experience. YOU are what makes this Festival happen. Come help us out and contribute to the queer community! Volunteering is a great way to meet awesome new people, and if you’re an artist there’s no better way to connect with local, national, and international queer audiences and colleagues. Need another reason to volunteer? All volunteers will receive an all-access rush pass for QAF performances! AND we throw a big party on Closing Night just to celebrate YOU!!

Please read through the exciting volunteer opportunities below and then fill out our form using the following link:

General Festival Positions

Art Installation/ Strike Team:

If you’re handy with tools, have an eye for detail and don’t need too much assistance, art installation is the job for you! Installation team members will work under the direction of the Curators and Artistic Directors to assist in hanging artwork before the festival. Be the first to get a hands-on sneak peek at this year’s fantastic art, and meet the artists and curators! You might also be asked to help with other general tasks, such as preparing artist packages.

Are you handy with tools and packing? If you are, our Strike team role is perfect for you! Strike team members will work under the direction of the Curators and Artistic Directors to assist in taking artwork down at the end of the festival.

Art Party (Opening Night):

Do you want to be an important individual at one of Vancouver’s most dynamic art openings? QAF’s Opening Night Art Party! is always a highlight of Vancouver’s queer calendar. It’s an event with an attendance of around 400 guests, including media, artists and other interesting people.

You’ll be helping us with preparations & managing the volunteer check in on opening night.

You will be checking in volunteers as they arrive, this will include making sure volunteers receive their QAF Pass, t-shirt and sign a volunteer agreement. Preparations may include setting up the volunteer check-in table, sorting t-shirts by size and passes by name.

Do you know your way around a bar? The bar is always a very popular social place at the festival and you’ll be part of the fun! Bartenders serve beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks; keep the fridge stocked; and accept drink tickets. Bartenders must be at least 19 years old. This is a position that offers lots of social contact – flirting opportunities abound. Quiet, enigmatic bartenders are also welcome.

You will be in charge of the check in at our VIP party. This means sitting at a table right at the entrance and checking off guests from our list as they arrive, which will help us keep track of the attendance. You will also hand out QAF passes to sponsors and media and give donation buttons to donors. This is perfect for someone who is good under pressure, likes interacting with others and pays attention to detail.

Being the first point of contact for our guests, you’ll be the one to make the first impression, greeting our guests and handing out programs. You’ll be keeping track of the attendance with a clicker, while also making sure any minors who attend, are aware of our alcohol policy and are given a special wristband.

Bar Roles:

Do you know your way around a bar? The bar is always a very popular social place at the festival and you’ll be part of the fun! Bartenders serve beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks; keep the fridge stocked; and accept drink tickets. Bartenders must be at least 19 years old. This is a position that offers lots of social contact – flirting opportunities abound. Quiet, enigmatic bartenders are also welcome.

Do you know your way around a bar? Bartenders serve beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks; keep the fridge stocked; and accept drink tickets. Bartenders must be at least 19 years old. After our shows, we want to put out food platters for the audience, so they can stay longer and mingle. You’ll be there to prepare the food, showcasing your artistic abilities while deciding how to lay out the cheese, veggies and crackers.

Regular Roles throughout the Festival:

Throughout the festival, we always need volunteers monitoring the gallery space. Gallery Hosts do shifts greeting and assisting visitors, monitoring gallery attendance, and keeping an eye on the artwork. Gallery Hosts will have lots of opportunities to chat with fellow art-lovers, and will be friendly faces to represent QAF. This is a low-energy curatorial position, and could be great for self-identified shy wallflower types as well!

You’ll be sitting at a table, watching over artwork, tallying guests and when it’s not busy, having some time to catch up on your favourite book. Be sure to bring a sweater as it gets cold!

You’ll like to make everyone feel welcome, be friendly and like talking to new people. Ability to take initiative and think on your feet is desirable. Bonus points if you know ASL!

This position will be the old ‘Membership Host’ role, where you will greet guests and direct them to the appropriate line at the box office, explaining the need for our membership if we’re selling alcohol. You might also be asked to stand in front of the entrance to the Performance Hall, where you’ll distribute program material, and take ticket stubs.

In addition to this, we will train you on assisting special needs guests, so you can help make the festival as accessible as possible. You’ll assist those, who want to use our accessible priority seating, lead guests needing ASL interpretation to our interpreters and provide help to anyone, who needs it.

Other Roles:

You’ll be attending the East Side Pride and getting people excited for our festival. This role involves actively talking to people and handing out flyers/ programs. You will also likely be in the sun for a longer period of time, so make sure to bring water, hat and wear sunscreen.

We’re inviting you and your friends to come and join us at the Closing Night Party, a party just for you! If you would feel more comfortable having something to do, please sign up and we’ll assign you a task.

Volunteers with Special Superpowers

Do you love to drive? We need people with their own car and driver’s license before and during the festival to run various errands – it could be picking up a performer from the airport, transporting food for catering, or running to the hardware store for that forgotten item. Ideally, Drivers will be able to comfortably lift 30lbs or so, but please still let us know if you’d like to drive but lifting just isn’t your thing. QAF will reimburse Drivers $0.50/km for mileage.

Are you an experienced photographer and have your own equipment? We need your help documenting QAF events and performances. Mingle at the parties and have the best seat in the house reserved for you! Photographers must be able to attend the tech/dress rehearsal as well as the performance for the program they are documenting. If you are interested in this position, please email us at volunteercoordinator@prideinart.ca with links to samples of your work.

Are you an experienced videographer and have your own equipment? We need your help documenting QAF events and performances. Mingle at the parties and get the best seat in the house reserved for you! Videographers must be able to attend the tech/dress rehearsal as well as the performance for the program they are documenting. If you are interested in this position, please email us at volunteercoordinator@prideinart.ca with links to samples of your work.

Do you want to help out with QAF in the comfort of your own home? We are looking for someone with video editing skills to create videos out of the materials that the Videographers capture during the festival! If you are interested in this position, please email us at volunteercoordinator@prideinart.ca with links to samples of your work.

Do you have a passion for office supplies and organization? Are you looking to develop your administrative skill set or already a superstar with administration? Throughout the year, we can often use a hand during office hours – filing, doing data entry, labelling envelopes, and running the occasional errand. Some admin/computer experience would be helpful. Office Assistants can bank their volunteer hours towards passes at the festival, so this is a great way to help out AND get to see all the shows!

Do you want to get your hands dirty with the inner workings of the Queer Arts Festival? We are looking for committed, capable individuals who are passionate about queer culture to join our team. Committees meet bi-monthly and work closely with the Pride in Art Society board on fundraising, networking, governance, policy, and procedure development. This is our first step in recruitment for the Pride in Art Society board.